familiar? (𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕝𝕠)

34

as nick exited the restaurant, small tears formed in his eyes. was he being too harsh? he did feel like the whole thing was blown out of proportion. he didn't know if he'd made it a big deal or if max had. i mean, performing a whole song in front of people to then going and telling him they're long lost lovers? nick couldn't help but think this was all a big misunderstanding.

but he was commited to leaving. but then he realised he couldn't drive. so he booked an uber, and sat on a park bench as he waited.

he sat right outside the restaurant, underneath the small amount of coverage the marbled veranda gave him. as he waited, his mind started to think about everything that's happened over the past couple days.

he'd completely forgotten about his friends. this was a trip for his friends, a trip where he can can spend time with them. vincent had just graduated high school and them all going to LA was meant to be in celebration of that. but nicks just made it all about himself. he's just turned it into match making and dating and he's kicking himself for it.

he feels like literal shit. but he's gonna fix it, he's gonna fix everything. he's gonna go home and just spend time with his friends. they've got 6 days left in LA and he's gonna make the most of it.

just as the uber pulled up to pick him up. he hears a loud noise coming from the entrance of the restaurant. his eyes widen as he sees max stumbling out the door, gasping for air. he blindly fumbles his way across the road and over to a park bench that faces the river.

he feels his heart sting to see the boy in such pain and despair. and he knows it's cause of him. he looks at the uber driver with a sorry look in his eye and tell him he's canceling to the trip.

once the car drives away, nick stays stationary where he's standing and simply watches max from a distance. he's gripping the bench with great force, nick thinks he might break it. he's wiping his eyes forcefully and he can see his breathing is heavy. nick can see he's starting to calm down. he wants to go help, and make sure he's ok, but he doesn't know if going over there will set it off again. so he simply waits for max to sit up straight and for his breathing to slow down, which only takes 5 minutes or so.

nick slowly makes his way across the road and over to the bench, he doesn't know how this is going to go. will max be angry, or happy to see nick? he can't tell.

he's standing directly behind max but max still doesn't sense him. nick takes a deep breath in before walking round to the empty side of the bench and sitting down.

he doesn't look at max, he simply watches the river.

max looks over at nick, shocked.

what?
why?
why is he here?
does he care now?
what does he want?

max can feel the panic attack starting up again. he steadies himself on the chair, trying to not make it obvious. as his breath starts to shake and increase in speed, nick looks over at him and worry shoots through his eyes.

"max. it's ok. deep breath in." nick takes a deep breath in with max, "and big breath out." nick breathes out with max. they continue this until max has calmed down.

"that's it. good job." nick pats maxs shoulder comfortingly. but once max is back in the moment fully, he takes it off.

the two go quiet, neither speaking. not because they don't want to, they just don't know what to say.

"what are you doing here?" max finally asks.

nick stays quiet, he doesn't really know, if he was honest. he wanted to see if max was ok, but he could've done that from a distance.

nick stays quiet, his mouth opening and shutting as he doesn't know what to say.

"it's alright. i know you're here out of pity." max sighs.

nick wants to retaliate that he's not, but why else would he be here? so he just keeps his mouth shut.

the two fall quiet again, the tension thick between the two.

"i thought you were going home." max says.

"i was going to. but then i saw you sitting over here." nick looks up at max.

"so you saw me having a panic attack and then decided that was a good enough reason to stay. but not when i'm trying to explain something important to you-"

"i was making sure you were ok! is that so wrong of me to do that? just because i think you're a load of bullshit doesn't mean i suddenly don't care about you." nick argues, his voice raising.

"oh- so you think i'm a load of bullshit huh? you REMEMBERED! DIDNT YOU? if you remember then it means it's true. i'm sorry you can't come to your senses and realise that." max retaliates. the two are facing each other, both have hateful scowls on their faces.

"ok- so what if i remembered?! it's not like it changes anything. you're acting as if this information changes the projectile course of the earth. this doesn't change SHIT max. i don't know WHY YOU MADE IT SUCH A BIG DEAL." nick shouts.

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT IT. IM SORRY THAT I HAVE FEELINGS LIKE A NORMAL PERSON. SORRY THAT YOU'RE TOO MUCH OF AN ASSHOLE TO NOT CARE."

"OH IM THE ASSHOLE NOW? I SEE HOW IT IS, YOU SON OF A BITCH."

the two fall silent from their shouting match. nothing coming out from either of their mouths. they simply stare at each other in shock.

"i'm so sorry i-"

"no, i'm sorry. i didn't mean any of those things."

the both chuckle a little at the interaction.

"you can- uhh- you can explain, everything now." nick stutters out. max smiles widely at the words.

"are you sure? i wanna make sure you're ok-"

nick cuts him off by putting his hand over maxs, before intertwining their fingers. max moves so he's sitting closer to nick.

nick looks him in the eyes and nods, telling him to talk.

nick doesn't know what he's gonna make of all this. he doesn't know if he can live through the hurt again, but he's willing to do it for max.

ayupppp peopleeeeeeee
how are we all?

i told u the drama wouldnt last long. i couldn't have them hating each other for longer than a chapter. plus i feel like this kind of an argument cant go on for ages, because ppl will start telling me it's dumb and stupid. and i'm personally not someone who likes being told shit like that- so.... ANYWAY

thank you so much for 11k READS!! that means so much and i love you all <333

if you can, please consider voting and commenting, it means so much :))